Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

I don't have much to report. I've still not gotten any runs in.  I had hoped to start doing some short jogging as I'm feeling somewhat better, but work has been hectic and by the time I get home, I'm wiped out. 

Since my last post, I've attempted a CPAP titration, had to stop in the middle because I could not breathe, caught a rough cold, that turned into bronchitis, gotten better, attempted and successfully completed another CPAP titration, and am no waiting to hear the results and get my Rx for a machine/mask. 
Wow that was a long sentence! 

I have been feeling somewhat better, but I'm anxious to start treatments and start feeling better. 

In the mean time, the family and I are heading to Oklahoma for the Holidays.  We fly out Christmas Day and return on January 2nd.  I'm taking my running gear and hopefully will get some runs in with my sister.  I'm sure she's far above me at this point but I always enjoy running with her. 

If I don't post before, have a wonderful holiday season and I'll catch ya on the flip side!

What I'm missing lately

I miss the "good fatigue" that comes with finishing a hard run and knowing you gave it your all.

VS

I WISH I was missing the "bad fatigue" that comes with deprived oxygen from sleep apnea.

I’m a Sleepy Sleeperson!

The good news…. my thyroid is fine.  The extra testing came back normal.  The bad news…my sleep study identified I have moderate sleep apnea with slight hypoxia (my blood oxygen level hit 89% and the normal range is 90% and above).  I’m not sure if that 89% was an average of the entire night or just at one point.  So now I’ve got to schedule a CPAP titration and prepare to start wearing something on my face all night.  Ugg!   But then again, if it kicks this fatigue away, then I’ll happily wear it. Isn’t it basically forced air into your nose and mouth?  I LOVE sleeping with a fan doing that anyway so maybe that was my body/subconscious trying to attempt a crude version of a CPAP.   In the end though, is this going to solve my problems?  Who knows. I sure hope so!

There’s not much to update about exercise.  I haven’t done any running since last weeks poor two miles.  I did get some cardio and strength training in at the gym.  It’s been a long time since I’ve done that, but I’ve been too busy to get back and frankly I’m too wiped out to do much of anything.  The fatigue is still around, it comes and goes, and is keeping me very tired by the end of the day. 

I’m also not at the office this week, I’m taking a blueprint design review course, and yeah, it’s kicking my ass too!  I have NO experience with reading blueprints, so this is all new to me.  The instructors are like a German Olympic gymnastics judge on a bad day.  After lunch, one group walked in literally one minute past time.  The instructors broke out Hawaiian skirts and leis and made them wear these for an hour.  Something about being on “vacation” and not taking the course seriously.  Good thing it wasn’t me! 

But I digress (I always love using that term!).  Getting back to running, I’m hoping to get these damn health issues sorted out and back on the road.  I’m itching for another experience run somewhere before Winter fully sets in.  YUK!

Turkey Trot "Race" Report

On Thanksgiving the family and I participated in the Green Valley Turkey Trot.  I ran five miles.  Jen and the kids walked a 5K.  Barring my recent health junk, it was a great event.  Plus we all went into turkey dinner with a calorie deficit.  How great is that?

We missed the pre-registration night so we decided to get there as soon as registration opened the morning of the run.  So we got there, paid the entry fee(donation) and got our shirts. But wait!  no bib?  Nope, there was no bib, no official time, and no starting or finishing line! Although we weren't aware of the latter until race time.

So there we are with about 45 minutes to kill before the run started.  Since it was a local race, one of the local Zumba instructors (not Jen's) was leading some warmup routines.  Of course, since Jen's become the resident Zumba expert, we sat around critiquing her routine and trying to stay warm.  Then about five minutes before the run was to begin, the run director started making some announcements.  Once he was done, everyone just started heading down the road.  No official gun start.  No official starting line.

I took off at a slow pace with a planned 1:30/1 interval.  Shortly after starting, I ran into some of my Fleet Feet Friends but they were doing a different interval so I didn't stay with them. The run was through a nice area with rolling hills and pretty homes.  One large 5 mile loop.

Normally, it takes about a mile for me to settle into a breathing rhythm and get into "the zone".  I never settled in on this run.  I felt perpetually in that awkward first starting a run feeling, and I was tired as heck from the get go. The run was nice, relaxing, and a friendly atmosphere, but I struggled with my energy and ended up not having a good run.  I finished, but with several extra walks.  It was by and far the worst "race" I've done these last two years.  Still, I finished in just over one hour. There was no finish line.  No definitive finish.  It just sort of ended at the same corner as it began.

After finishing, I found the family and we headed home.  I was tired and feeling rather crappy. We got home and had a nice relaxing Thanksgiving at home with Wii games, movies, and yummy food.

HEALTH UPDATE:

Yesterday I had a followup visit with my doctor. My blood pressure has been excellent so that's good.  But we discussed in depth (well as in-depth as can be with an always rushed doctor that sees patients for about 15 minutes tops!).  We discussed thyroid issues and he explained some of the things I wasn't clear on but he also ordered some further thyroid testing at my request.  In addition, he ordered a sleep study because I'm a heavy snorer and he thinks the fatigue may be sleep related. 

I did get a 2 mile run in yesterday before heading to the doctors.  It wasn't great, nor was it even good, but I got out there.  The weather was in the upper 60s/lower 70s and it was a gorgeous day out.  I tried enjoying it, but the struggle of no energy was enough to classify it as a crappy run.  I sure hope things get cleared up soon.

This morning I had my Occupational Health physical at work and everything checked out ok, except the fatigue issue. The nurse practitioner there gave me some good advice for dealing with my general doctor, plus she said it was probably a good idea to find someone else.  Since I ate this morning, and they needed me to fast (wasn't aware of that) I have to go back on Monday for blood tests.  I've also got a followup with my general doctor. I fully intend to push the other thyroid testing with him. So other than the fatigue, things are decent.  Well enough to hit pavement again.  Yay!

So tomorrow's planned 5 miler is on!  This will definitely be the last race of the year and I've got no clue how it will go.  Slow, steady, and fun is the plan.  I'm not even sure if they talley results as I've not found previous years results anywhere. 

On a somewhat different note, I came across a link for the Blue Ridge Marathon and I'm quite intrigued. It's at the end of April so I'd need to start training for it soon if I decided to do it.  It will also be one hell of a marathon.  It goes by the slogan "Americas Toughest Road Marathon", and takes you up and back down two mountains!  You heard that right, MOUNTAINS, not hills!  To give you an idea of how tough it is, the winner last year ran it in 2:42.  It will throw my 2012 goals off, and likely I could get a DNF on the course, but for some reason, I'm interested.  Go for it in 2012 or plan for 2013?